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Late Volcano | John Seach
Tonga
18.80 S, 174.65 W
summit elevation 540 m
stratovolcano
Late Island is a 6 km wide volcano located 55 km WSW of Vavau Island. The volcano contains a 400 m wide 150 m deep summit crater. A plug is exposed on the western side of the summit crater, and forms an almost vertical cliff. The upper third of the crater wall consists of andesite flows and scoria. The outside of the crater consists of spatter and angular blocks.
The island measures 6 km wide at sea level. On the north and east sides there is a broad coastal flat. On the west and southwest the terrain rises more steeply from the sea.
Late has two pit craters on the NE side, one which has a saltwater lake. The craters occupy a graben-like structure, and are collapse pits or explosion craters. The craters are heavily vegetated inside and on the flanks.
Lava flows which originated from the main crater extend down the northern and eastern flanks into the forest. They can still be distinguished by sparse soil and vegetation cover. These are possibly the flows from 1854 and 1790.
Activity at Late Volcano
In 1970's weak solfataric activity was present in the crater. Steam was found in a fracture near the graben on the eastern side of the island. Lack of strong fumarolic activity and the thick jungle on the volcano, indicate no recent volcanic activity.
Further reading
Bryan, W.B., Stice, G.D. and Ewart, A., 1972. Geology, petrography, and geochemistry of the volcanic islands of Tonga. Journal of geophysical research, 77(8), pp.1566-1585.
Late Volcano Eruptions
1854, 1790.